Concussions brought a premature end to the playing portion of Jahvid Best‘s football career. Best’s time in the game, however, is reportedly moving on to the next stage.
Citing multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, GoldenBearReport.com is reporting that Best will serve as a student assistant coach at Cal for the upcoming season. Best is expected to help with the running backs, a position currently manned by Pierre Ingram.
Best, who played his college football for the Bears, is returning to campus to finish up his degree.
While the school has yet to confirm Best’s addition to Sonny Dykes’ staff, the former Cal great’s high school coach confirmed the move to the Contra Costa Times. Chad Nightengale of Salesian High in Richmond said Best helped out at his alma mater last season, a few months after his playing career officially ended because of myriad head injuries.
“He was great with our kids,” Nightengale told the Times. “He works very well with kids in general. His body of work in college and the NFL, obviously, will win a lot of credibility with players.”
Best missed the final four games of the 2009 season because of a head injury before leaving early for the 2010 NFL draft.
He finished his Golden Bear career ranked seventh on the school’s all-time rushing list with 2,668 yards on 364 carries. His 29 rushing touchdowns are tied for third on the school’s all-time chart, while his 35 total touchdowns are fourth. His three career 200-yard rushing games are the most ever by a Cal player and he is also among the school’s all-time leaders in all-purpose running yards (4,045, No. 5), 100-yard rushing games (13, No. 6) and scoring (210 points, No. 9).